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Former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee’s political organization is sharply at odds in a closely watched House race in Tennessee — with itself.

On Monday, Team Huck Tennessee, the grass-roots arm of Huck PAC, announced it was endorsing former state Republican Party Chairwoman Robin Smith for the 3rd District seat Rep. Zach Wamp is vacating to run for governor. That move came one week after Huck PAC — the financial wing of the former Arkansas governor’s operation — endorsed Smith’s primary opponent, attorney Chuck Fleischmann.

Ted Boyatt, who served as Team Huck Tennessee state coordinator before handing in his resignation Tuesday in protest of the Fleischmann endorsement, accused Chip Saltsman, Huckabee’s 2008 campaign consultant and a Fleischmann strategist, of engineering the Huck PAC endorsement.

“There was no merit to this endorsement. It was just what Chip Saltsman told them to do,” Boyatt told POLITICO. “I’m not going to stand by and let this happen. I said, ‘I’m going to take proactive action.’”

Smith’s campaign manager Chris Meekins said in a statement, "Chuck Fleischmann has to pay Chip Saltsman to get Huckabee's endorsement. In contrast Robin Smith is earning her endorsements as a result of her 20-year record of conservative leadership."

Saltsman, for his part, denied Tuesday that the rival endorsements signaled a rift among Huckabee supporters and said he was confident the Huck PAC endorsement would carry more weight as the race hurtles toward the Aug. 5 primary.

“Mike Huckabee endorsed Chuck Fleischmann, so that’s the important one. [Huckabee] is Huck PAC, so I’ll go with the governor on this one. I think most of the people in the 3rd District are as well,” Saltsman said.

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Readers' Comments (3)

I wouldn't trust "Huck" as far as I could throw him. His slimey gamesmanship in the last election helped McCain get the Republican nod and Obama to get the President's office. He feined running when he was really blocking for McCain against Romney. Looks like he is caught up in his gamesmanship again, what a jerk!

This is not the first time the Huckabee camp has endorsed without consideration for conservative records. Look at his endorsement in the 3rd Congressional District race in South Carolina. He endorsed someone who on a good day is moderately conservative (State Rep. Rex Rice) over a proven, consistent conservative (State Rep. Jeff Duncan). Rep. Duncan has been consistently given at A or A+ rating from the SC Club for Growth and has been named a "Taxpayer Hero," while Rep. Rice just received his first A rating from the Club last year (after he declared his candidacy for Congress). Rep. Duncan was recognized for his outstanding achievements in fighting for taxpayers when he became one of only 10 candidates to be endorsed by the National Club for Growth. I think Mike Huckabee really messed up in endorsing Rep. Rice over Rep. Duncan, because I think the choice is clear, when stakes are as high as they are now, we need proven conservative leadership, not a recent conservative convert. To see just how big of a mistake was made, you should check out Rep. Duncan's website (www.jeffduncan.com).

This is not the first time the Huckabee camp has endorsed without consideration for conservative records. Look at his endorsement in the 3rd Congressional District race in South Carolina. He endorsed someone who on a good day is moderately conservative (State Rep. Rex Rice) over a proven, consistent conservative (State Rep. Jeff Duncan). Rep. Duncan has been consistently given at A or A+ rating from the SC Club for Growth and has been named a "Taxpayer Hero," while Rep. Rice just received his first A rating from the Club last year (after he declared his candidacy for Congress). Rep. Duncan was recognized for his outstanding achievements in fighting for taxpayers when he became one of only 10 candidates to be endorsed by the National Club for Growth. I think Mike Huckabee really messed up in endorsing Rep. Rice over Rep. Duncan, because I think the choice is clear, when stakes are as high as they are now, we need proven conservative leadership, not a recent conservative convert. To see just how big of a mistake was made, you should check out Rep. Duncan's website (www.jeffduncan.com).